The subsequent brief histories describe the companies that
manufactured the tractors and steam engines featured in the Pazandak
collection. Every tractor in use today incorporates essential features
and components developed and refined by these pioneering companies.
Without their contributions to the mechanization of agriculture, modern
farming techniques would be yet unrealized. Indeed, their role in farm
mechanization changed forever the lives of North Dakota farmers and
farmers across the United States.
Minneapolis, Minnesota (1902-1929)
The Minneapolis Steel and Machinery Company (MS&M Co.) was founded in
Minneapolis by J.L. Record and Otis Briggs on April 24, 1902, to
manufacture steel components for buildings, bridges, and other steel
structures. The MS&M Co. engaged in the singular steel fabrication
business until 1910, when the Joy-Wilson Company of Minneapolis was hired
to design a tractor for them. The tractor that was designed later evolved
into the famous Twin City "40" tractor, and began the company's successful
venture into the
tractor business. A few years later, the MS&M Co. expanded its role in
the tractor business by subcontracting to build heavy tractors for other
manufacturers like Case Threshing Machine Company, and Bull Tractor
Company.
By the late teens, MS&M Co. engineers realized the trend in tractor design
was moving away from the massive behemoths that were their specialty, to
smaller, cheaper, and more compact tractor designs. As a result, an
entirely new line of lightweight tractors was engineered, supplemented by
a new line of threshing machines and farm trucks. The new line of
lightweight "Twin City" tractors were very well engineered, and as a
testament to their quality they later served as the basis for the entire
Minneapolis- Moline tractor line. Overall, sales of "Twin City" products
increased throughout the twenties with growing consumer acceptance, but in
the depressed agricultural economy of that period it was very difficult
for a short line company like MS&M Co. to survive on its own. Therefore,
merger negotiations began with another short line company, the Moline
Implement Company of Moline, Illinois, and later included the Minneapolis
Threshing Machine Company of Hopkins, Minnesota. An agreement was
eventually reached, and on March 30, 1929, the three short line companies
were amalgamated to form the Minneapolis-Moline Power Implement
Company.
Hopkins, Minnesota (1887-1929)
The Minneapolis Threshing Machine Company (MTM Co.) was founded in
Hopkins, Minnesota, by John S. McDonald as an outgrowth of the former Fond
du Lac Threshing Machine Company. Initially, in 1887, the new company only
manufactured threshing machines, but later it expanded into the
manufacture of steam traction engines. After only a few years on the
market, "Minneapolis" steam engines and threshing machines had established
a highly regarded name for themselves among farmers in the grain-growing
regions of the United States and Canada. By 1911, however, steam traction
engines had begun to lose favor among progressive farmers, and so the MTM
Co. decided to enter the vastly expanding tractor business. Therefore,
Walter I. McVicker was hired to design a tractor which became, after some
refinement, the successful Minneapolis "35-70." In the late teens, MTM Co.
followed the industry trend by expanding into the small tractor market
with their newly designed "15-30" tractor. Refined, and identically styled
larger horsepower tractors were later added to fill out the tractor line,
replacing the older models. These newly designed tractors all featured the
large bore, long stroke engine design that was to become a trademark of
all Minneapolis-Moline tractors built after the merger in 1929. Much like
the Minneapolis Steel and Machinery Comapny, was a short line
manufacturer, the MTM Co. realized that it could not remain competitive as
an independent company. In 1928, officials of the MTM Co. heard about the
ongoing merger negotiations between Minneapolis Steel and Machinery Co.
and Moline Implement Company, and made it known to both parties that they
wished to be included. This proposition was ultimately accepted by the
other companies, because besides possessing a respected name in farm
equipment, the MTM Co. brought a quality combine and corn sheller into the
fold. An agreement was eventually reached, and on March 30, 1929, the
three short line companies were amalgamated to form the Minneapolis-Moline
Power Implement Company.
Minneapolis, Minnesota (1908-1912)
Around the turn of the century, D.M. Hartsough began conducting his own
tractor design experiments. In 1904, Hartsough's tractor design was one of
the earliest to incorporate a multi-cylinder engine, providing smoother
operation and power transmission to the rear wheels. This early design was
later improved and became the basis for the famous "Big 4" tractor line,
so named because of their massive 4-cylinder engines and overall size. By
1906, Patrick Lyons had become interested in Hartsough's tractor design,
and an agreement was reached to build the tractor at a factory in
Minneapolis. Originally, the new company was named the Transit Thresher
Company, which reflected the notion of Lyons to eliminate bundle wagons by
moving the tractor and threshing machine around the field to the grain
shocks. The "transit thresher" concept proved to be unpopular, and
therefore the company was reorganized in 1908 as the Gas Traction Company,
to manufacture just tractors. The Gas Traction Co. remained an independent
entity until 1912, when it was purchased by the Emerson-Brantingham
Implement Company of Rockford, Illinois. Emerson-Brantingham continued to
build the venerable "Big 4" line of tractors, eventually expanding it to
include several power sizes. Throughout the teens, Emerson-Brantingham was
devoted to the task of heavily promoting the "Big 4" line at various fairs
and exhibitions in the United States and Canada. By 1920, however, the
massive "Big 4" tractors had lost favor among farmers and were rapidly
being replaced by lighter and more maneuverable models. Therefore, the
decision was made by Emerson-Brantingham executives to discontinue the
revered "Big 4" tractor line. While the name may have disappeared, no one
should forget the role that "Big 4" tractors and others like it played in
breaking the vast open prairies.
Waynesboro, Pennsylvania (1855-1912)
The Geiser Manufacturing Company (Geiser Mfg. Co.) was founded in 1855 by
Peter Geiser at Smithburg, Maryland, to manufacture threshing machines. In
1860, the company moved to Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, on land that was
purchased from a competitor, George Frick. By 1881, the company had become
incorporated and their first steam engine was introduced, nicknamed the
"Peerless." The new "Peerless" steam engine was intended to directly
compete with the neighboring Frick Company steam engine, the "Eclipse."
Soon, Geiser "Peerless" steam engines established a reputation as being
solid, well-built, quality steam engines. To further broaden their product
line, Geiser Mfg. Co. developed a steam-powered "Peerless" gang plow, to
go along with the "New Peerless" threshing machines, hay presses, and
sawmills that were already in the line. In addition, the Geiser Mfg. Co.
was engaged in the early developmental work on gasoline tractors and
introduced their own model in 1910. The Geiser Mfg. Co. attempted to
expand into
the lucrative Midwestern market, but their success was hindered by the
large transportation costs incurred from shipping their products westward.
Even with several high quality products, the Geiser Mfg. Co. realized it
could not survive as an independent
company without a larger Midwestern market share. Therefore, in 1912, the
company, the plant, and all designs and manufacturing rights were sold to
the Emerson-Brantingham Implement Company of Rockford, Illinois.
Emerson-Brantingham continued to manufacture the respected line of
"Peerless" steam engines and threshing machines until the mid-1920s.
Surviving that long was truly a testament of their quality, for by that
time most companies had already abandoned the manufacture of steam
engines.
